Poem

A Garden of Love and Memories Blooms in the Heart

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Guna’s evocative poem for Different Truths, explores the enduring magic of Chitralekha, an artist and companion in Mahabharata, who mysteriously disappears leaving behind a beautiful garden.

Having painted on both eyes
suddenly vanished
Chitralekha the enchantress
 
She planted
in heart
the garden of Babylon
 
It is swaying 
in heart
heavenly flowers are  blooming

Everyday  we hear
melodious calls of painted birds
 
You are the gardener
of the hanging garden
I know you won’t come back again
 
Yet amidst the clouds
will be shining
the radiant smile of the sun

Note: Chitralekha was the boon companion of Usha, the daughter of the King Baan of the Sonitpur kingdom in Assam (India) of the Mahabharata era. Chitralekha had magical skills at painting and portraiture, in particular.

Original Assamese poem titled Chitralekha. Translated from Assamese into English by Nirendra Nath Thakuria.

Picture design by Anumita Roy


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